There’s more to good health than just diet and exercise. Those two things are very, very important—and we’ve spoken about them quite often on this podcast. Being physically active has a huge number of health benefits. But we also know that there are people who are fit, who jog on the beach, and can still drop dead of a heart attack. Fitness is not a force field against cancer either. Still, it’s very important.
We also know that eating the right foods matters—putting the proper fuels into our bodies. One of my favorite analogies is that of a car. A number of components are necessary for a car to run well. You need to put in the right fuel, you need to have the tires pumped up, but you also need coolant, oil, and spark plugs. There are many factors required to make a car run smoothly. Having the right petrol is important, but it’s not the only requirement. If there’s no air in the tires, you won’t get far.
Work presented to the U.S. Senate Aging Committee has looked at the connection and purpose. It found that people who live longer aren’t spending their time on Facebook—they’re having face-to-face conversations, living in extended families, and connecting with their neighbors. This may be related to work or college as well.
In addition, people who feel they have a purpose live longer. I’m going to quote: “We know that people with a sense of purpose live about eight years longer than people who are rudderless.” They often manifest this purpose through family, but also through religion. We know that people who regularly attend church, temple, or mosque live about four years longer than those who don’t attend at all.
Now, it’s not the mere act of going to church on Sunday that contributes to longevity. It’s a combination of other components that go with it, but the central theme is purpose. Whether it’s through serving the church or being part of a religious community, or being in service to a higher power, purpose plays a vital role.
Purpose can also be found outside religious settings. Don’t get me wrong: your purpose might come from your family, your coworkers, or your local community. The point is, what we do matters.
In my book Doctor Joe’s DIY Health, I discussed the eight pillars of health. The eighth pillar was fun and purpose. We all like to feel that what we do has significance. That doesn’t mean it has to change the world. If you have a baby and change its nappy—or diaper—that has a purpose. You’re making the baby more comfortable. It may be a small act, but it still matters.
If you’re helping a neighbor with something they’re struggling with, that has purpose too.
We sometimes think purpose needs to be global. It doesn’t. It just needs to matter to us. And usually, it benefits someone or something else.
Essentially, this body of work—and it’s been shown many times—demonstrates that loneliness is a significant contributor to all-cause mortality. It’s on par with smoking. But public health officials don’t like to talk about it, because you can’t tax loneliness, and you can’t ban it. So, the issue is often ignored.
We do know, however, that societies with greater longevity—Japan is a good example—often have stronger social connections, especially between generations. In some places, children regularly visit aged care facilities or older individuals at home to enhance those connections.
Societies where the family unit is more valued also tend to do better in terms of longevity. That includes some Mediterranean populations.
Nothing is absolute. It’s like exercise—it doesn’t guarantee you’ll live to 100. Eating well doesn’t guarantee it either. But the more we do to support our health, the longer and better we’re likely to live.
Ultimately, we’re all on this planet for a finite amount of time. Most people accept that. What concerns many is not the end itself, but the lead-up to it—losing control of physical or mental faculties, not being able to dress or feed oneself, not knowing what day it is, or living in pain.
So it’s about quality of life, not just quantity. And yes, quantity matters—but quality often becomes the focus, especially later in life.
Just like a car: the more components we keep tuned up—the right air pressure in the tires, coolant topped up, windscreen wiper fluid filled, oil changed, fuel right—the better the car will run and the longer it will last.
The human body is much more complex than a car, but the principle is the same. The more we do across different areas of life to optimize our health, the better.
So yes: eat sensibly—whole foods rather than processed, packaged foods full of additives and preservatives that you can eat three years later. Choose foods with life in them—foods that, if you don’t eat or freeze them within a week, will go bad.
Drink water. Exercise regularly. Get enough sleep. Manage your stress. But don’t forget: connection matters too.
I know—it’s easier said than done. But we can all work towards a better connection. That includes reaching out to someone you haven’t heard from in a while just to see how they’re doing.
And then there’s purpose: the feeling that what I do matters. It might be tending a garden. Planting vegetables. Getting into regular exercise. Reading more. Learning something new.
It’s a great habit to aim to learn something new every day. That’s an adage I live by, and I believe it makes me a better person, with a broader understanding, especially of things I previously didn’t know.
So yes, diet and exercise matter. But our connections, our relationships, and doing things that matter to us—that give us purpose—are equally important.
Again, I know I sound like a broken record, but purpose doesn’t have to be world-changing. It can be very small and very local—just something that gives meaning to your day. Even catching up with friends and family is part of staying healthy.
Thanks for Reading Doctor Joe Unplugged
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For further reading on some of the research mentioned, check out this article on MedPage Today.
Until next time — take care, stay connected, and keep finding your purpose.
Dr Joe Kosterich – Doctor, Health Industry Consultant and Author
Doctor, speaker, author, and health industry consultant, Joe is WA State Medical Director for IPN, Clinical editor of Medical Forum Magazine, Medical Advisor to Medicinal Cannabis company Little Green Pharma and Course Chair, and writer for Health Cert. He is often called to give opinions in medico-legal cases, has taught students at UWA and Curtin Medical schools and been involved in post graduate education for over 20 years.
A regular on radio and TV, Joe has a podcast – Dr Joe Unplugged, has self- published two books and maintains a website with health information. He has extensive experience in helping businesses maintain a healthy workforce.
Past Chairman of Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association, current Vice President of Arthritis and Osteoporosis WA, Joe previously held senior positions in the Australian Medical Association and has sat on numerous boards.
